It’s no secret that the people of Cleveland hate LeBron James. When he did the Cavs dirty with last summer’s Decision, he effectively cut all ties with the town. And in the wake of that move, Cleveland has looked for its next savior and lead athlete. No, Grady Sizemore and Peyton Hillis don’t qualify. Sorry, guys.

It began at a birthday party for [Daniel] Gibson and Cleveland-based DJ Steph Floss on Friday night. During the event, two witnesses told ESPN.com that Gibson made a reference to being the new king of Cleveland during a toast.

Okay, sure, whatever… We guess it is ludicrous for Gibson to proclaim himself the king of a terrible basketball team when he’s not even its best player, but maybe LeBron should let the media do the work here.

The glossy is celebrating its 90th anniversary, and Beyoncé marks the occasion with an homage to Nigerian musician and humanitarian Fela Kuti; Beyoncé’s husband, Jay-Z, is a producer on the acclaimed Broadway musical Fela!, based on the icon’s life, music and courageous defiance against government corruption. In a statement (via Jezebel), L’Officiel describes the Feli-inspired photo of Beyoncé–sporting blackface, tribal paint and a dress designed by her mom — as a “return to her African roots, as you can see on the picture, on which her face was voluntarily darkened.”

Not everyone is a fan of the editorial vision and tribute to Kuti; the image simultaneously inspires and provokes. Writes Jezebel’s Dodai Stewart: “It’s fun to play with fashion and makeup, and fashion has a history of provocation and pushing boundaries. But when you paint your face darker in order to look more ‘African,’ aren’t you reducing an entire continent, full of different nations, tribes, cultures and histories, into one brown color?”

“It’s one thing to feel moved by Fela Kuti, and quite another to treat blackness as a fashion accessory, like a pair of glittery heels you put on because it looks cool,” Stewart adds.

Charing Ball, a writer at the Atlanta Post, blasts the fashion industry’s recent obsession with blackface as an accepted form of racism passed off as art. “Blackface is not fashion forward or edgy and, in my opinion, it is just flat-out offensive,” writes Ball, incriminating Beyoncé in perpetuating the offense.

Blackface has been particularly trendy among European fashion titles; in October 2009, FrenchVogue featured a white model in blackface a year after the Italian edition of Vogue ran a much-hyped issue with all-black models as a response to the lack of diversity within the industry.

Meanwhile, Beyoncé and other black stars have had their skin lightened on the cover of glossy women’s mags and in advertisements; see Beyoncé’s 2008 L’Oreal ad compared with a real photo of the singer. See also: Actress Gabby Sidibe’s 2010 Elle magazine cover wherein her dark skin appeared several tones lighter.

“The message we’re getting from the fashionistas,” Stewart writes, “is that it’s bad to actually havedark skin, but totally cool to pretend you have it.”

Beyoncé will no doubt maintain a diplomatic stance on the photoshoot. But, for once–for once!–it would be refreshing to hear her speak her mind and have a stance on something beyond her music.

During his show yesterday, Limbaugh pounced on a report that the Obama family (minus the president) had dined on ribs while vacationing in Vail, Colorado.

The problem is–and dare I say this–it doesn’t look like Michelle Obama follows her own nutritionary, dietary advice. And then we hear that she’s out eating ribs at 1,500 calories a serving with 141 grams of fat per serving, yeah it does–what do you mean, what do I mean?

What is it–no, I’m trying to say that our First Lady does not project the image of women that you might see on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, or of a woman (professional baseball player) Alex Rodriguez might date every six months or what have you. I mean, women are under constant pressure to look lithe, and Michelle My Belle is out there saying if you eat the roots and tree bark and the berries and all this cardboard stuff you will live longer, be healthier and you won’t be obese. Okay, fine, show us.

Limbaugh’s comments come on the heels of those from several other right-leaning critics, who have decried the “nanny-state” mentality of the First Lady’s Let’s Move campaign.

In the past week, both Sarah Palin and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R. Minn.) criticized the First Lady’s advocacy for breastfeeding. Michelle Obama has mentioned breastfeeding as a way to lower childhood obesity at the same time the White House has successfully pushed the Internal Revenue Service to offer tax deductions for breast-feeding supplies.

This is the second time in a week the First Lady’s weight was the butt of a conservative joke. Conservative pundit Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government website published a cartoon depicting Michelle Obama as overweight and hypocritical, eating hamburgers while talking to the president about Let’s Move.

As the First Lady this month touts the one-year anniversary of Let’s Move, more attention has been focused on the Obamas’ dietary habits. The White House Super Bowl menu, for example, prompted a wave of criticism from the right for featuring such unhealthy fare as kielbasa, bratwurst, cheeseburgers, pizza, wings and twice-baked potatoes.

But Michelle Obama suggested at the time that their Super Bowl menu doesn’t contradict the efforts behind the Let’s Move campaign because she’s never advocated a total elimination of junk food.

“This isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition and it’s important for families not to get caught up in that, not to think that I can never indulge,” she said on NBC’s Today show.

Limbaugh has long struggled with his own weight and has publicly discussed his dieting efforts. He revealed in June 2009 that he had lost 58 pounds by restricting his caloric intake. Chest pains recently landed Limbaugh in the hospital, but “tests showed he was not suffering from heart disease.”

Job-placement professionals say that over the last year, more and more American employers have made it clear they won’t consider job candidates who aren’t working. “A lot of our recruiters have had clients who have come across this,” Matt Deutsch of TopEchelon.com, which brings recruiters together to collaborate in finding jobs for candidates–told The Lookout–calling the practice “unfortunate.”

With the number of Americans who have been out of work for six months or longer at a whopping 6.2 million, and with 4.7 unemployed workers for every job opening, advocates for the jobless say this growing form of hiring discrimination creates another hurdle for the increasingly desperate ranks of the unemployed. “At a moment when we all should be doing whatever we can to open up job opportunities to the unemployed, it is profoundly disturbing that the trend of deliberately excluding the jobless from work opportunities is on the rise,” Christine Owens, who runs the National Employment Law Project, told the EEOC.

Some experts say that discrimination against the jobless, as currently practiced, may violate civil rights laws–a question the commission is now considering. In itself, such discrimination isn’t illegal. (New Jersey is exploring legislation that would prohibit job ads telling the unemployed not to apply.) But it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race or age. And Blacks and older workers are disproportionately represented among the long-term unemployed–meaning we/they may be bearing the brunt of discrimination against the jobless.

Some employers have said they’re unwilling to hire unemployed workers because they believe that if a worker has once been let go, that’s a sign that he or she is probably not a great hire. “People who are currently employed … are the kind of people you want as opposed to people who get cut,” one recruiter told the Atlanta Journal Constitution in October.

And as Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke has said, when people are out of work for a long time, their skills can erode, which may understandably make them less attractive to employers.

But Deutsch said that a bias against the jobless is also a time-saving device for companies that may themselves be making do with less, thanks to the downturn. “If you’ve got a huge stack of submissions, and you want to get through them quickly, [you can say] ‘OK, all the people who are not currently employed, forget them,’ ” Deutsch explained. “That’s gonna cut down on your workload.”

However, aside from the damage that this practice does to unemployed candidates, employers who adopt it may be shooting themselves in the foot, since they’re probably screening out qualified applicants who were laid off through no fault of their own. “To think that that’s going to bring you all the qualified candidates you want to see is probably not the case,” Deutsch said.

Is the economy beating you up? It’s time to get creative. Next time you have an ache or pain, forget about a costly trip to the drugstore and test-drive some of your grandmother’s remedies instead. It’ll save money and be gentler on your body and the environment. Recessionistas (and gents), welcome to the DIY medicine cabinet (don’t laugh).

1. Stop Bleeding

You’d think it would burn, but a sprinkle of cayenne pepper on a cut will quickly stop the bleeding and actually relieve the pain.

2. Toothache

There’s nothing so bad as the shooting pain of a toothache. You don’t want to ignore a tooth problem, because an infection that close to your brain can be extremely dangerous if it spreads. But in order to reduce swelling and pain while you wait for a dentist appointment, try putting a few drops of clove oil on your tooth and gums, and bite down on a smashed piece of garlic (which has excellent antibacterial properties). This has always worked for me.

3. Rashes and Allergies

Prescription and OTC antihistamines can cause some serious side effects. Before you head for the strong stuff, try green tea, which contains compounds with antihistamine properties. You’ll need to drink 2-3 cups a day to get the full effect.

4. Athlete’s Foot

It’s a foot fungus, and it stinks. Air those piggies, then soak them in salty water, wash them with garlic juice, or soak them with diluted white or apple cider vinegar. All of these things will help kill the fungus.

But you have to be persistent, consistent, and diligent: No matter what treatment you use, do it a few times a day and stick with it until at least a week after you think the symptoms are gone! Fungus excels at hiding out and coming back when you least expect it.

5. Acne and Sensitive Skin

First, you really have to look at your lifestyle, because imbalances in your health can show up in your skin. But in the meantime, wash your face with oatmeal. It’s a gentle exfoliant and draws out oil and impurities.

6. Ear Infections

Ear infections can become quite serious and cause permanent damage, so please see a doctor if your ear ache has become severe.

But if you feel like your infection is mild and at the beginning stages, put a few drops of garlic oil or white vinegar into your ear canal and lay down on the opposite side to let those drops do their work. Garlic and vinegar create an environment that won’t support the bacteria causing the infection. Repeat a few times a day until the symptoms disappear. (If your symptoms last longer than a few days, you should definitely see a doctor!)

7. Sore Muscles and Bruises

After a hard afternoon of rowing with a friend, I resigned myself to a few days of burning muscles and soreness. But my friend saved the day with a tube of arnica cream. He rubbed it on my shoulders and voila, instant relief and absolutely no aches the next day. The humble arnica flower makes an incredible cream that no medicine cabinet should be without. Use it immediately to speed up the healing of bruises, sprains, sore muscles, and other general aches.

8. Flatulence

Some foods, like beans and raw veggies, are more likely to cause gas, but if you find flatulence to be too common of an occurrence, try taking a digestive enzyme with your meals. You can find these at any health food store.

In the meantime, make use of digestive spices such as ginger, anise, peppermint, coriander, and dill. You can make tea with these ingredients or incorporate them into your food.

9. Dandruff

Have you looked at the ingredients in dandruff shampoo? It seems like they contain almost everything in the Toxic Ingredients You Must Avoid list. Better to try something natural first before resorting to chemicals. Many people swear by rubbing aloe vera gel onto the scalp (leave it on for 20 minutes than rinse it out). This will certainly help with dry, itchy scalp.

Another remedy is a rinse with apple cider vinegar. Try these remedies a few times before deciding if they work for you. Even dandruff shampoo requires regular use to see results, so give the natural stuff a chance!

10. Headache and Migraine

Try rubbing peppermint or lavender oil on your temples and the base of your neck; sniffing these oils may also help.

Rub a fresh cut lemon or lime on your forehead. Feverfew is a good herbal remedy for headaches.

Have a little caffeine by way of green tea, and don’t forget to use an ice pack for 20 minutes to dull the throbbing.

11. Indigestion and Heartburn

It almost goes without saying – but consider why you’re getting heartburn in the first place. Did you overeat? Too much grease or spicy food? Eating late at night? Scout out the cause and try to stop this before it happens. Then, put down the antacids.

The belching, bloat, and heartburn caused by indigestion come about because you don’t have enough stomach acid to do the job right. A spoonful or two of apple cider vinegar will help break down the excess food that is causing you trouble and bring your stomach back to balance.

12. Constipation

First, drink more water and eat more fruit and salads. You’re backed up for a reason and taking lots of laxatives is not the answer. Meanwhile, drinking a few teaspoons of olive oil mixed with a bit of orange or (diluted) lemon juice can help things get moving.

Another surefire remedy is 1/4 teaspoon of epsom salts drunk in 1/2 a glass of water. Sometimes calorie restriction or avoidance of healthy fats (such as the good fats found in fish, nuts, and avocados) can worsen constipation.

And though it’s counterintuitive, some people relieve their constipation by actually cutting back on grain consumption! True, grains contain fiber, but some people don’t digest grains very well. Other causes of constipation include stress, depression, inactivity, and nutritional deficiencies. If your constipation is chronic, it may be a sign of a more serious problem, so please seek medical advice and adjust your lifestyle.

13. Sore Throat

Sore, scratchy throats are usually a sign of a cold or flu coming on, so you don’t want to ignore this symptom, but you can relieve the pain by gargling with warm salt water a few times a day and then drinking a soothing honey-lemon tea.

14. Burns

So you bumped up against the stove again? Ouch. Rinse first with cold water, but then immediately applyaloe vera gel to the burn.

For those of us who don’t have aloe in the house, slice a potato and rub its cool, soothing juices all over the burn.

And honey, with its antibacterial properties, is also good topical ointment. If you can catch the burn immediately, mustard is also reportedly a great salve.

15. Nausea

The classic cure for nausea or carsickness is ginger tea or candied ginger. You can chew on the stuff raw, if you like, but it’s so spicy and strong it might just make you feel worse.

Sniffing real peppermint or lavender oil can also help.

16. Miscellaneous Ailments

The health benefits of the apple cider vinegar and honey drink are widely known. This recipe has traditionally been used as an at-home self remedy for many ailments, and even an anti-aging elixir. Many people have smartly made use of its cleansing and disinfecting properties to self-detoxify their body. It is seen as a powerful cleansing agent and natural healing elixir with naturally occurring antibiotic and antiseptic that fights germs and bacteria.

Alkaline-Forming Diet

So, how does this vinegar and honey remedy actually work? A person’s bloodstream tends toward becoming acidic with our modern diet of fats, starches and processed foods, (e.g fast foods, meats, peanuts, seafoods, alcohol and coffee)and if your body is acidic, disease can flourish; if it is alkaline, it is in balance and can fight off germs and ailments such as bladder and kidney conditions, osteoporosis, brittle bones, joint pains, aching muscles, low energy and chronic fatigue, and slow digestion. Raw fruits, leafy green vegetables, legumes, and tea are examples of alkaline forming foods. Interestingly and ironically, a food’s acid or alkaline-forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For instance, lemons and limes are very acidic, however the end-products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so lemons and limes are alkaline-forming in the body. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion but it leaves very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid-forming. It is important to know that stomach acid or the pH of the stomach is an entirely different matter from the pH of the body’s fluids and tissues. The body has an acid-alkaline (or acid-base) ratio called the pH which is a balance between positively charges ions (acid-forming) and negatively charged ions (alkaline-forming). When this balance is compromised many problems can occur. The body is forced to borrow minerals-including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium from vital organs and bones to neutralize the acid and safely remove it from the body. And severe damage can be done to the body due to high acidity. Ideally, for most people, the ideal diet is 75 percent alkalizing and 25 percent acidifying foods by volume. Allergic reactions and other forms of stress also tend to produce excessive acids in the body.

The alkalinity of apple cider vinegar can correct excess acidity in our system and help prevent and fight infection. Honey added to the vinegar naturally makes the mixture more drinkable for people. And the good news is that unprocessed raw honey has been classfified as an alkaline-forming food. (Processed honey is only little acidifying and artifical sweetener is very acidifying). When you first drink the apple cider vinegar formula, it might taste horrible to you, but as your body becomes less acidic and more alkaline, it would begin to taste good. The ailments that could be cured by this apple cider vinegar and honey treatment include:

1. Premature aging

2. Obesity

3. Food poisoning

4. Heat exhaustion

5. Heartburn

6. Brittle nails

7. Bad breath

8. Arthritis

9. High blood pressure

10. High cholesterol level

Try this healthy and refreshing vinegar and honey drink! Essentially, to prepare:

* Mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of raw honey. (Apple cider vinegar is actually made from fresh, organic, crushed apples that are allowed to mature naturally in wooden barrels, but you can get it easily from the grocery shops or supermarkets.)

* Dissolve in a glass of chilled water.

* Take it twice daily.

Note: For this vinegar and honey remedy, do not get commercial distilled vinegars as they do not contain the same health values of organic, raw apple cider vinegar. The powerful enzymes and minerals like potassium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, sulphur, iron copper, fluorine, silicon, pectin and natural malic and tartaric acids, which are important in fighting body toxins and inhibiting bacteria growth, are all destroyed during the distilling process.